What Film / Video job is right for me?

I graduated from college with a degree in film and photography. I've spent the last year starting up and managing my own video production company back in my home town. And while business is good and I enjoy the work, I feel that at some point I would like to move on to larger projects that will have wide releases and more social engagement.

I'm unsure where my niche might be in a production environment. So far I've found I enjoy the camera and editing departments the most. I thought I would do an evaluation of my strengths, preferences, and personality and see if you all had any recommendations on what sorts of positions related to visual arts might fit what I'm looking for. I'm really hoping for a wide range of responses, so please don't hold back any recommendations, even if the job isn't related to visual arts / video / photography at all.

Obviously nothing is going to come close to fitting all of these preferences, or play to even a majority of what I would consider my strengths. But knowing it's an over idealized list I would still love to hear your opinions on the types of jobs that came into your mind as you read through. Please also ignore the job market, how rare the position is, or how many years experience would be required, as im more trying to get an idea of where i would like to aim for in the future and not my current odds. Thanks!

Here's some additional info I got from a personality test that I think is very accurate about the type of job I would like to have:

"prefer work that makes use of their ability to see inner meanings, implications, and possibilities. it's important to them to find a way of expressing their perceptions. their unique, inner vision of how things could be must be translated into reality."

1. lets them create and develop original and innovative solutions to problems to improve existing systems.

2. lets them work with other conscientious people whose expertise, intelligence, and competence they respect.

3. gives them credit for their original ideas and lets them maintain authorship and control over there execution.

4. allows them to work independently but with periodic interaction with a small group of intellectual people within a smooth running environment free of squabbles.

This sounds right to me. After reading around more i think i'll definitely want to be in a smaller production company, somewhere where im not tied down into one specific role, but can help on all aspects of a project.

Any advice on any companies to look into for this or towns / cities that would have a better indie film base? especially for doc work. Doesnt necessarily have to be USA either. thanks!

Forget about all that personality testing crap. I almost bit my tongue off too. Corporate fell good mumbo jumbo. Doesn't make a LICK of sense when it comes to what video job is right for you.

First off, if you are making a good living, and are happy with it...stick with it. So few people get to have both of those things. Small niche video, when successful, is a highly prized thing. Going up and up in the world of production and post can only lead to more stress. But, if you want...go right ahead.

What do you enjoy more? THAT is the question. Do you feel more comfortable operating a camera? Editing? Producing? Directing? What is the most fun? What do you feel that you have the most knack for? That's what I liked about film school, is that I tried everything, and found that I really had the knack for, and enjoyed, editing above all else. But if you want to do multiple things, then do multiple. Only YOU know what you are best at doing, and enjoy the most.

Shawn,
are you 12 years old, or do you just have rich parents that want you to do something with your life?

I recently met a man who is in his 40's, that has a VERY successful business in Colorado repaving streets in ski resort areas, after the winter months are over. When he found out about my career as a video engineer, he said that when he graduated school, he was a film/TV major, and tried to get work in the TV business at TV stations. Things weren't going so well, so to make spare money, he got some part time work in Colorado as a laborer, helping to repave streets that were broken up after the winter snow season. He realized that there was almost no competition for companies that wanted to repave the streets in these resort areas, but there was TONS of competition for TV jobs, so he started a paving company.

Now, he has the entire winter off, and travels the world. During spring and summer season, he goes back to Colorado, to run his business repaving the streets, and making MORE MONEY than almost anyone on Creative Cow. This is called an OPPORTUNITY.

If you have a passion for something, THEN DO IT. If you want to make money, you don't care if you are an audio guy, or a video guy, or a writer/producer/director - or whatever. Whatever opportunity that presents itself to you - YOU DO IT. The film makers that I know that are successful were willling to do ANYTHING to get into this business, because they had the passion - it didn't make a difference what it was. If you have no passion for something, then why are you here ? If you want to MAKE MONEY - learn something (like FCP, AVID, Smoke, After Effects, etc) and look for a job doing that.
Once you start doing it - no matter what it is - it's not fun anymore - it's a job.

I always say that when Madonna (or whatever music group that you like) has to travel that tour buss, day after day, month after month, and play the SAME DAMN SONGS over and over and over and over again, it's not much fun. It comes down to the money, and the women, and the attention you get from the crowds. Being "behind the scenes" in our industry, there is not much glamour - it's just work - better than working at the grocery store -but just work. Find what YOU like to do, and do it.